Author's Notes: Hiya! Sorry for the delay but I had exams and I really didn't have time to write. But to reward you of your patience, I have good news for you.

First, I'm now on holiday for nearly a month so I will have a lot of free time on my hands to write the next chapters and second, this chapter is quite long and has humour, suspense and D/H mushiness!

I hope you'll all enjoy it. Thank you to everybody who reviewed, I can't believe that I have over 300 reviews, its crazy. By the way, this chapter is dedicated to D.r.a.c.o.s.H.e.r.m.o.s.O who is my 300th reviewer! Yay! Thank you so much.

I promise I will write to you all next time but for now, read on.

..~**~..

Chapter 32

Draco sat in the farthest corner of the library during lunchtime and waited. He hated waiting but he had no choice. He had to know about the prophecy and Abigail was on her way to tell him all about it.

He sat alone, watching out for her but his thoughts soon drifted off, thinking about the previous day.

They should have locked the bathroom door. Abigail was right, Harry could have caught them in action, but was that a good or bad thing? He had argued a long time with Hermione afterwards. She had believed Abigail when she said Draco was using Hermione to break up the Trio. He had nearly lost her and he had wanted to make Abigail pay for the pain she had caused. How convenient that the rumour about Blaise and her broke out just then at lunchtime!

"I'm here!" Abigail cried out as she arrived hurriedly, her black hair flowing behind her. Draco broke out of his thoughts and couldn't help but scowl at her.

"Merlin! Don't tell me you're still upset about what I said," Abigail exclaimed amused, sitting herself down opposite him. "Hermione knows that I was lying about you, so you can stop scowling! Besides, your face looks really ugly like that."

She laughed and Draco glared back at her. "You know, I think I liked you best when you were possessed. At least you were drooling all over me then."

"I can't believe you said that," Abigail said dangerously as Draco smirked back at her. "Do you have any idea what that was like for me? Do you think I actually enjoyed kissing you?"

"Merlin, can't you take a joke?" Draco said loudly, putting his feet up on the table.

Abigail gave him the finger in return.

"So, tell me," he continued, watching her closely. "Why did you keep calling me 'Dragon' and what's this prophecy about me? And remember, no telling Hermione about it."

Abigail rolled her eyes, but told him all the same. "Well it's a very old prophecy which I found a while ago written in the Serpent books. It's apparently very important from what I was told. I don't remember it in detail but I do remember the contents of it."

Draco hung on every word she said. He couldn't believe there actually was a prophecy concerning him.

"What does it say?" Draco asked eagerly, staring intently into her dark eyes.

"Something about a dragon arising from a Pureblood family, which I'm guessing is you and that it will do great things," she explained rather unwillingly.

"Great things?" Draco asked, his voice urging her to give more detail.

"Yes, well the prophecy doesn't explain if they're good or bad. I guess that's for you to decide," she finished, looking out for Draco's reaction.

"So what, that's it?" he burst out, kicking his feet to the ground.

"Well what were you expecting? A biography of your life?" Abigail said amused, playing with a strand of her hair. "But that's not all. The prophecy also says that if you choose to believe in it, if you choose the path to glory and power then you need to be warned. It's a long road and you face the world alone. It's a life of solitude."

Abigail fell silent as Draco froze at her words. A life of solitude for a life of glory and power, he thought to himself. Was it worth it?

"I know, it sucks," Abigail remarked loudly, noticing Draco's face. "But I guess if you're doing lots a great things then you won't have time for anything or anyone else. We all make sacrifices in the end, some more than others. I guess if you choose that path, you'll have to be prepared to die alone and unloved."

Her lack of compassion made Draco laugh softly. After all, he had never been nice to her, he had merely been using her over the year for his own intentions. Yet, she knew more about him than anyone else and he had opened up to her quite a few times as well. They didn't appreciate each other, but, aside from Blaise, Abigail was the closest thing to a friend Draco had.

"Well I've got better things to do, so I'll see you later," she suddenly told him, getting up from her chair.

"Thank you for telling me," Draco said in return, surprising her.

"Well it's not like I had much choice," she told him sternly, walking away.

Before she was out of view, however, she suddenly turned around and looked at him with concern. "Be careful, Draco. Think things over before you decide anything crazy."

Draco nodded his head and found himself alone in the library, thinking over his destiny.

..~**~..

After classes, Draco ran into Hermione in the Heads' common room. She was sitting at one of the desks, revising. He noticed she wasn't wearing her school uniform but a pair of white trousers with a light blue top. A bunch of light brown curls cascaded down her back and Draco couldn't help but take in the stunning view in front of him.

Hermione didn't seem to notice his presence, too caught up in her work, so Draco decided to surprise her. He stepped up quietly towards her but suddenly stopped.

It's a life of solitude.

If he chose to follow the prophecy, did that mean he would have to give up Hermione? Could he give up on her when she meant the world to him? He had never thought about it before.

"Draco!" Hermione gasped, as she noticed him. "You frightened me. What are you doing creeping up like that?"

"Nothing, just wanted to surprise you," Draco whispered in her ear. Making sure no one else was around; he kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Where's the Slytherin bitch?" he asked, plumping himself on the couch. "I hope she's not with Potter again!"

"Draco," Hermione warned him, getting up from her desk. "She's in my room, she's staying the night again and Harry isn't here. Leave the poor girl alone, it's her birthday today!"

She paused, listening out for any sounds. "I haven't heard her for a while," she noticed, looking a little worried. "Maybe I should check on her."

"Yeah, whatever," Draco waved her off, picking up the Daily Prophet.

He heard Hermione make her way to her room and a few seconds later, he heard shrieking."Abigail Serpent! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Amused, Draco made his way to the room to see what all the fuss was about. "Hermione, give it a rest! It's only a cigarette," he heard Abigail retort as he reached the door. Abigail was leaning by the window, continuing to smoke, as Hermione's face went crimson. She takes her Head Girl role too seriously, Draco thought.

"Draco," Hermione started angrily as she saw him. "Tell her smoking isn't allowed in Hogwarts."

Abigail, just as mad, looked back at Draco expectantly too. "Yes Draco, why don't you tell me?"

"She's right you know." Draco said amused, crossing his arms over his chest. Abigail glared daggers back at him as she threw her cigarette butt outside the window.

"You see, he agrees," Hermione declared triumphantly.

"Of course he fucking agrees!" Abigail spat out, storming out of the room. "He's not an idiot! You won't shag him tonight if he doesn't agree!"

Draco, stunned, watched her leave as Hermione's jaw literally dropped to the floor.

"What the hell is her problem?" Draco finally managed to say.

"What do you think?" Hermione answered angrily. "It's the after effects of being possessed by Slytherin and I know it's not her fault, but I'm sick of it. So don't blame me if I hex her next time she has a mood swing."

"After effects? What do you mean?" Draco asked curiously.

"Well since we cured her, she's been happy one moment and a real bitch the next," Hermione explained, opening the windows to get the smoke out. "I don't know how Harry copes with it."

Draco's ears perked up as she mentioned Potter. "He's forgiven her?"

"Yeah, they're together again but it's a secret," Hermione said cleaning the mess Abigail left behind.

"Damn it!" she screamed, throwing a book across the room. "Doesn't she know what the word 'tidy' means?"

Dodging the book, Draco looked back at a very stressed Hermione. She seemed so tired and in real need of a break. He stepped up to her and hugged her lightly as she breathed heavily.

"I don't need this right now," she admitted, burying her head in his chest. "I need to revise my NEWTS!"

Draco stroke her hair gently and suddenly had an idea. "Hermione, let's go out," he said eagerly to her. "Let's go somewhere tonight. You definitely need a break and I'll be happy to take you somewhere quiet and nice. What do you think?"

"Where do you want to go?" Hermione asked worried, lifting her head. "And what if a Death Eater sees you with me?"

"Don't worry," he reassured her, looking softly into her eyes. "You'll be safe with me. So, what do you say?"

"As long as we don't get back too late," she cautioned him, thinking about his idea. "It's a school night after all."

Draco smiled at the studious student in his arms. "You agree then?"

"Of course I agree. You plan on getting laid tonight, remember?" she teased him, laughing gently.

Draco laughed with her, remembering Abigail's words, before pulling her closer to him and kissing her deeply.

..~**~..

"A table for two please," Draco demanded the waiter.

The man nodded his head and disappeared among the crowded mass of tables and clients, looking for a spare place.

"I've never been here before," he admitted to Hermione who gazed around the brightly decorated wizard restaurant. "It's not sophisticated or posh enough for Purebloods. No one should recognise us here."

"It's perfect," Hermione breathed out, smiling back at him.

Draco had chosen an elegant medieval-style restaurant, which was highly reviewed in the Daily Prophet. The place was charming but definitely not selective of its clientele. They had apparated there from the Forbidden Forest, just before curfew started.

"Follow me please," the waiter said, returning with a couple of menus.

They followed him both to the far end of the room, where a small table awaited them in the corner. The table was very nicely decorated with a dark red cloth and a rose and candle in the middle. They took off their cloaks, were seated and then the waiter disappeared, leaving them to look at the menu.

"Draco, thank you for taking me out tonight," Hermione said, lighting the candle with her wand. "It's nice to be out of the castle even though we could get in trouble for this."

"Hermione, relax," Draco answered, looking up from the menu. "Head students are allowed nights out of Hogwarts twice a year. We'll be fine."

He smiled as Hermione stared back confused, not remembering that particular rule before looking at the menu. Draco, however, continued to gaze at her. She was wearing a simple black dress with silver earrings, which sparkled against her loose curly brown hair.

She looks gorgeous.

Her chocolate eyes seemed to gleam in delight as she read the menu.

"This all looks really appetising," she told him, her eyes meeting his own.

Draco didn't answer for a moment, lost in his thoughts. How come he had never noticed her beauty before? Why did it take him so long to realise his feelings for her? How could he ever leave her?

No, I could never leave her. Only an idiot would give her up to follow some foolish prophecy.

He didn't notice the waiter return, pen in hand. "Sir, are you ready to order?"

An hour later, Draco sat quietly eating his dessert, barely listening to Hermione as she spoke to him.

"Draco, what's wrong?" she finally asked. "You haven't said a word all evening."

"Nothing," he lied, playing with his food. In fact, he wasn't very hungry. His mind kept wandering off all evening, inevitably thinking about the future.

"Fine," Hermione muttered, eating vanilla ice-cream.

They both fell silent a few seconds.

"You know," Hermione continued, annoyed. "I thought you were taking me out so we could spend some time together, have a nice dinner but if I knew that you were going to mope like this, then we shouldn't have bothered."

She waited for him to give her an explanation but he gave her none. Sighing deeply, Hermione picked up her spoon and finished off her dessert.

"Haven't you ever wondered what it'd be like if you went someplace else?" Draco gave in to her, finally voicing his thoughts. "Somewhere where no one knows you, where you could pretend to be somebody else?"

Hermione looked up at him in surprise. Her large, brown eyes stared at him, trying to understand his sudden question.

"I've sometimes wished I wasn't part of this war," Hermione admitted slowly. "After last year, I wanted to leave Hogwarts, go somewhere far from all the destruction and fear, but I couldn't. I didn't have the courage and besides, I'm needed here."

Draco fell silent at her words. He felt Hermione reach out for his hand whilst her eyes continued to bore into his own.

"It's no use fleeing Draco," she told him, trying to reassure herself as well. "The war would catch us up wherever we went and if Voldemort won –"

She paused, grasping his hand tightly. "He'd kill us."

"I know," Draco answered deadly serious.

The war was approaching; Draco could feel it. He thought the best way to protect Hermione was to flee. She meant more to him than anything else and he wouldn't let anything happen to her. The only plan he could think of was to leave; disappear into the wilderness with her sometime until the war was over, but she had just torn that to shreds.

So be it! Whatever happens now, we're in this together till the end.

..~**~..

"I'm sorry," Draco said as soon as they were back at Hogwarts in the Heads' common room.

"For what?" Hermione said, sitting herself in the couch.

"For ruining your only night out," Draco admitted, sitting down next to her. He put his arms around her shoulders a she nuzzled herself closer to him. They stayed silent for a while, appreciating each other's warmth until Draco felt Hermione's soft lips on his neck.

"I forgive you," she murmured, continuing her trail of kisses, leading her to his lips where he kissed her back hungrily. She moaned softly against his mouth and then deepened the kiss. Her eagerness made Draco forget all his troubles and he happily gave in to her request. His tongue continued to explore her mouth as she fell back on the couch. She tugged at his shirt, pulling him closer to her as her legs wrapped around his waist. Her fingers roamed through his platinum blond hair making him shiver in pleasure.

Merlin, she's good! he thought as his hand glided under her dress.

"Wait," Hermione whispered, listening out for any noises.

"Is Abigail sleeping in your room again?" Draco asked annoyed, sitting up.

"Yeah," Hermione answered, biting her lower lip. She didn't seem to know what to do next.

"Fuck Abigail," Draco said getting up and holding out his hand for Hermione. "Let's go to my room."

Smiling devilishly, Hermione took his hand and followed him quietly to his room.

A few hours later, Draco woke up in a start.

He'd had a nightmare again and breathed heavily as he took in his surroundings. His eyes finally landed on Hermione sleeping peacefully beside him, naked. The sheets covered her up to her lower back and her exposed pale skin glistened in the moonlight. He watched her sleeping, his eyes roaming over her body, which lifted slightly with every breath she took. It soothed him to watch the girl who had so much faith in him sleep so peacefully. She had opened his heart and now she made him happy.

Feeling his eyelids slowly closing, Draco decided to go back to sleep. Tugging at the sheets, he pulled them over Hermione and kissed her softly on the cheek.

Suddenly, he felt an indescribable pain shot through his arm. He could feel the Dark Mark burning within his skin. Shouting in pain, Draco realised his worst fear had just occurred.

Voldemort was calling him and the intense pain meant that the Dark Lord was very excited.

"Draco, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, waking up from the noise. "What's going on?"

He turned around, his face incredibly pale. "I have to go," he told her deadly serious. "I've just been called, there's going to be a meeting tonight."

He got up grabbing his black clothes from his wardrobe and dressed quickly as Hermione watched him incredulously. Once he was ready, he sat down on the bed, next to Hermione and stared at the confused expression on her face.

"Listen to me Hermione," he began, talking very clearly. "When I'm gone, go to Dumbledore and warn him about the meeting. Voldemort seems very excited tonight and that can only mean one thing - war."

"What do you mean? How can you be so sure?" Hermione argued stumbling out of bed, the sheets wrapped around her. "It all seems very sudden and Harry would have felt it too yet his scar hasn't hurt him for weeks now."

Grabbing his wand and his cloak, Draco turned to face her. "Trust me, Potter must have felt it too," he assured her, slipping on his black hooded cloak. "Now remember what I said. Wait a few minutes after I leave and then go straight to Dumbledore's office. Take your wand with you, you never know."

Hermione nodded silently. Draco looked at her and kissed her gently on the lips before leaving.

"Be careful," he warned her as he left. "Remember Voldemort is after you more than ever now."

"Draco, wait!" he heard her shout behind him and halted. "When will I see you again?"

"After the meeting, I'll come straight back to Hogwarts," he tried to reassure her, although he doubted the Dark Lord would let him leave now before the war started. But Hermione wasn't stupid, she knew he was lying and suddenly she couldn't hold back her tears anymore. She ran up to him and pulled him towards her tightly.

"I don't want to lose you," she whispered in his ear.

"You won't," he promised her. "We'll see each other again Hermione. So long as you warn Dumbledore, we'll see each other again."

"Please don't go," she cried out faintly, her voice broken with emotion.

"I have to. You knew this day would come Hermione and now you need to warn Dumbledore and prepare for war," he answered her, pulling her away. "We can't flee remember, we have to fight."

Her frightened red eyes looked desperately back at him as he wiped her tears away. He couldn't help but kiss her deeply one last time before he left.

"I'll see you soon," he whispered to her and left the common room.

As he stepped out into the corridor and ran quickly down the flights of stairs, Hermione stood frozen on the spot, looking at the empty space before her.

"I love you, Draco," she whispered after him.

..~**~..

As Draco arrived at the meeting point, he could feel the excitement in the air. His fellow Death Eaters, waiting patiently for their master to speak, whispered among themselves as they saw Draco arrive. He made his way through the hall and joined the Dark Lord by his throne. He bowed before him and as he stood up, two shiny red beads stared back at him.

"Come closer my boy," Voldemort ordered.

Draco stepped next to him and felt the Dark Lord's skeletal white fingers claw at his arm.

"It is time," Voldemort hissed in his ear. "It is time for war. I have planned a surprise for that old fool Dumbledore. Tomorrow as soon as all my followers arrive, I will send them to the school."

All his followers? Draco shuddered at the thought of seeing all the beasts and monsters Voldemort had recruited over the years along with Pureblood wizards.

"You shall stay here Draco, with me. I have planned to lure the Potter boy to me, alone. Dumbledore will have too much on his hands to notice his disappearance and the Serpent girl wouldn't dare to intervene this time."

He laughed maliciously seeing the hundreds of followers before him and expecting so many more to come. Draco, keeping a cold expression, also looked at the numbers before him.

Hogwarts better be prepared.

"My Lord," he inquired, thinking about his plan. "How exactly will you lure Potter here when war will be raging in Hogwarts?"

"If Zabini does not deceive me once more, he shall be here by morning with the girl. We shall use her as bait and make Potter come to me defenseless and alone," Voldemort explained, his red beady eyes twitching with excitement.

"The girl?" Draco asked again, masking his anxiety.

"The Mudblood, of course," the Dark Lord hissed before calling the hall to his attention.

..~**~..

Uh oh, that doesn't sound too good...

A lot has happened in this chapter and I hope you don't think I went too fast. Anyway, I hope you're glad Hermione finally told Draco she loved him even though he didn't hear her. It really made me happy.

Otherwise I'm really excited about the war coming! That sounds creepy...Anyway Voldemort's plan now that I just reread seems really flawed. Well no one wants him to win in the end, right? I won't spoil the last chapters for you so don't ask what will happen next, but I did warn you straight from the beginning that this fiction was a dark one.

Review please!